10 Reasons Why the New Windows Black Screen of Death Is Alarming

News Analysis: The Black Screen of Death might not cause as much damage as the Blue Screen of Death, but it's still causing major headaches for users. Worse, there is no sign that there will be a quick and permanent fix for all occurrences of this glitch. So users will just have to assume that the Black Screen of Death will likely continue to plague their computers indefinitely.

Either way, let's take a look at why the Black Screen of Death is cause for
serious concern for consumers and the enterprise alike.

1. It affects all Windows installations

Those who operate older versions of Windows might think that they won't be
affected by the Black Screen of Death, but, unfortunately, they're wrong. The
issue affects just about everyone using a Windows PC today, which means
millions of users are potentially in danger.
2. The system is crippled

When the Black Screen of Death strikes, users lose all ability to control
Windows. According
to Prevx, a security company that has been monitoring the outbreak, users experiencing
the problem lose the taskbar, sidebar, system tray and desktop. In other words,
users won't be able to do anything with their systems when trouble strikes.
3. Some fixes don't even work

Prevx currently has a fix on its site to help those impacted by the Black
Screen of Death. But after further investigation, the security company found
that there are several causes, so its solution will not work for everyone.
Worst of all, there's no easy way to know what the direct cause is, making
fixing it even more difficult.
4. It might come from MicrosoftPrevx has done significant research to determine what the cause of the
latest outbreak of Black Screen of Death came from. According to the company,
some Black Screen of Death issues may possibly be caused by installing two
security updates from Microsoft. For
its part, Microsoft contends that its updates haven't caused any issues.
Regardless, Microsoft
is on shaky ground when it comes to security. To potentially cause a
problem through a software update does not instill confidence.

5. Microsoft is still moving slowly

Although Microsoft said it investigated the problem, there's currently no
indication that a fix to the Black Screen of Death will be coming any time
soon. The longer it takes for Microsoft to address the problem, the more cause
for concern there will be. We can also probably expect to see more people
affected in that time. Microsoft needs to do something soon.

6. It's more widespread than you think

Although news of the Black Screen of Death is still fresh, the issue is affecting
a slew of Windows users. Due to the fact that it can potentially impact just
about every Windows PC in operation today, there are millions of users that
could potentially see the deadly black screen. Prevx wrote on its site the week
of Nov. 23 that it found millions of Google results relating to the Black
Screen of Death with several results featuring pleas for help from Windows
users.

7. Trust is a key component in software security

Without trust, software
security means nothing. Now that some users believe that the latest cause
of the Black Screen of Death is downloading a Windows update, what are the
chances that they will fully trust any other update Microsoft pushes to their
systems? PC users don't like losing all their content over something they
didn't do. They might stop downloading any Microsoft updates. The software giant
needs to address this issue as soon as possible-especially if
it didn't cause it.
8. The domino effect

Following that, it's important to note that a domino effect could result
from the Black Screen of Death. If users decide to not download patches from
Microsoft until they know that they're safe, it will not only make their
systems less secure, but it could also impact the entire Windows ecosystem.
Each Windows PC's security relies upon the security of other PCs to some
extent. If users decide against patching Windows, their computers will be
unsafe, leading to an easier transfer of malicious files from one computer to
another.
9. Nontechnical users are in deep trouble

According to Prevx, nontechnical users who attempt to repair their systems
will have a difficult time of it. Although the company's fix is somewhat
straightforward, it's not so simple for those less advanced users. Plus, if
that doesn't fix the problem, the vast majority of nontechnical users will
likely be lost.
10. The future is in doubt

Don Reisinger is a freelance technology columnist. He started writing about technology for Ziff-Davis' Gearlog.com. Since then, he has written extremely popular columns for CNET.com, Computerworld, InformationWeek, and others. He has appeared numerous times on national television to share his expertise with viewers. You can follow his every move at http://twitter.com/donreisinger.